Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Art of Living



Here is the ferry and the city and the Mighty Mississip.  I'm back from one trip and preparing for another.  In between, the factory takes the flesh from my back.  I am only posting now because people want to know if I'm O.K.

No.  But who is?  Like the man in the grocery store said, "Everybody's got something."

The photo is from my phone.  I have pictures from three cameras that I haven't even had time to look at yet.  A vacation will cost you at work, of course.  Everything must always be done.

I haven't time to tell you much right now, but I will tell you this.  I am out of love with most contemporary things.  Even in far away cities, I mostly want to curl up in bed and read.  I haven't read enough in the recent past, and it shows.  Last night I curled up in bed early and read until it was time to turn off the light.  It quieted my otherwise fragmented and fidgety mind.  That mind needs much quieting right now.  It will require much reading.

To read beautiful things leads to thinking beautiful things, and ultimately, if we are lucky, to living beautifully, too.

I read a version of that last night in a classic novel.  I'd be impressed if you can name which one.  Hint: it was not American.

I don't know how much I'll be able to show up here for the next week or two.  My bowels have tightened for stealing this much time.  Don't worry.  I'll be replenished sooner or later.  I just have to start all over and learn the art of living again.  Just look around you and you will see that it is not as easy as they would have you believe.  There are not so many who do it well.

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